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dem45133 · 03-12-2012, 08:30 PM

Hello jamesqf

I checked out that report. I was actually impressed...something not always easy to do depending on the subject. It was some of the better research I've seen, and one of the few that actually incorporated real stats.

Of question is why the pickup category was higher in its own driver risk... all around. I think as they said... we tend to be more rural... and if this area is any indication, we have all the risk increasing attributes here plus more.

-no shoulders even on the bigger US two lanes (trees or 5 foot deep ditches might be 2 ft off the pavement...Really!, may or may not have a guard rail)
-hills and curves everywhere
- poorly design or no design roads
- limit +10 as the normal speeds (in Ohio, if its not posted otherwise the speed limit is 55 by default... even on a 2 track dirt road... truly... some are not posted... and they driven by crazy people.
-some of the poorest maintained cars and trucks, running may-pops and God knows what on the brakes (some of these counties are some of the poorest in the state)
-and probably some of the least conforming in seat belt use ... (although in the years of the study... the larger the vehicle the more likelyhood of not wearing them as you feel more safe maybe. It wasn't really manditory yet ... and that could be maybe reflected in some of the larger class vehicles.

Combine that with the fact they are too light by design on the rears when empty and can break out easy, freight and trailer issue exacerbating things now and then, as well as (I swear it) some of the dumbest drivers on the planet it would appear here... to the point the state of Ohio actually put up signs on the Ohio end of the KY bridge reminding people not to pass on double yellow lines... up hills and on curves... Evidently someone thought they needed to tell them again. But hell they do it all the time... on both sides of the river.

I can see these effects adding up... but all the way to 3x. Big doesn't matter on handling if your used to it... most of us that have them are... so why?

If its 3x in these conditions for pickups... it must be even more for the little cars... as 90% of out fatalities here are head-ons or running off road into the trees (many are big trees too that don't move) but the data design wouldn't necessarily reflect that as the numbers from the metro areas would over shadow our small numbers.

I'm not going to sell the 1 ton though... maybe a stronger car, er... a... deer catcher though. Just joking, well upon reflection of the conditions here...maybe not. But we do have a problem here and on the 18 miles of the US two lane on my commute I do wear my seat belt.

Later....

03-12-2012, 08:30 PM	#47 (permalink)
dem45133 Outside the Box Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: SW Ohio, Highland County Posts: 47 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Interesting read... Hello jamesqf I checked out that report. I was actually impressed...something not always easy to do depending on the subject. It was some of the better research I've seen, and one of the few that actually incorporated real stats. Of question is why the pickup category was higher in its own driver risk... all around. I think as they said... we tend to be more rural... and if this area is any indication, we have all the risk increasing attributes here plus more. -no shoulders even on the bigger US two lanes (trees or 5 foot deep ditches might be 2 ft off the pavement...Really!, may or may not have a guard rail) -hills and curves everywhere - poorly design or no design roads - limit +10 as the normal speeds (in Ohio, if its not posted otherwise the speed limit is 55 by default... even on a 2 track dirt road... truly... some are not posted... and they driven by crazy people. -some of the poorest maintained cars and trucks, running may-pops and God knows what on the brakes (some of these counties are some of the poorest in the state) -and probably some of the least conforming in seat belt use ... (although in the years of the study... the larger the vehicle the more likelyhood of not wearing them as you feel more safe maybe. It wasn't really manditory yet ... and that could be maybe reflected in some of the larger class vehicles. Combine that with the fact they are too light by design on the rears when empty and can break out easy, freight and trailer issue exacerbating things now and then, as well as (I swear it) some of the dumbest drivers on the planet it would appear here... to the point the state of Ohio actually put up signs on the Ohio end of the KY bridge reminding people not to pass on double yellow lines... up hills and on curves... Evidently someone thought they needed to tell them again. But hell they do it all the time... on both sides of the river. I can see these effects adding up... but all the way to 3x. Big doesn't matter on handling if your used to it... most of us that have them are... so why? If its 3x in these conditions for pickups... it must be even more for the little cars... as 90% of out fatalities here are head-ons or running off road into the trees (many are big trees too that don't move) but the data design wouldn't necessarily reflect that as the numbers from the metro areas would over shadow our small numbers. I'm not going to sell the 1 ton though... maybe a stronger car, er... a... deer catcher though. Just joking, well upon reflection of the conditions here...maybe not. But we do have a problem here and on the 18 miles of the US two lane on my commute I do wear my seat belt. Later....